Through Broken Mirrors
by Hippie1128
Summary: AU where Padmé survives and Anakin is not injured on Mustafar. After being confined under house arrest, Padmé escapes with Vader in hot pursuit. Can she finally convince him to revert to his former self, or will she have her heart broken once more?
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer_** ** _I do not own Star Wars Disney does. Hey guys, I'm really excited because this is my first story. I hope you like it. Please review so I can improve my writing. If you find any spelling or grammar mistakes feel free to tell me, just don't go crazy. I'll try to update every week and it will probably be on a Sunday or Monday depending on the week. Now on with the story- Kiera_**

 **CHAPTER 1**

Padmé gazed out at the chaos of Coruscant. Even from inside her apartment, she could hear the various noises, speeder horns, blaring night club music,and bits of conversations. As much as the noises were nuisances, Padmé longed to be out there and finally feel free. It has been almost an entire year since the Empire was conceived, the Jedi were soon to be eradicated, and even minuscule sparks of rebellion were crushed under the Emperor's heel. What bothered Padmé the most was that she was powerless against it.

She has been under house arrest by the request of her husband, if he could be called that now, the fearsome Darth Vader. Padmé had long since accepted the reality that Anakin Skywalker was no more, but a small part of her still hoped he was in the Vader's hollow shell of a soul. He seldomed visited, and when he did the occasions were usually marked with sudden outbursts of rage. Still, Padmé was determined to turn the tides. She hoped to contact the remaining Jedi also she could formulate some sort of plan for rebellion.

Furthermore, Padmé wasn't taking this house arrest lying down. Ever since she delivered Luke and Leia she has training constantly in the hopes of breaking herself out. If Padmé did manage to break out , she would have to deal with the matter of the twins, she didn't have the heart to put them in harm's way. She couldn't leave them here, who knows what Vader would do to them. He rarely sees them with him being away for so long. The few times he did visit, he seemed to be convinced that their pure little hearts could be corrupted into the Dark. She shuddered at the thought of her precious children turned into monsters. Unfortunately, her planning was cut short by a rap on her door which could only mean one thing, Vader was here.

Darth Vader was seething with hate, a small band of rebels had tried to assassinate him on Mandalore. He swiftly disposed of the pests, Vader had sensed the attack coming, he could practically smell the fear radiating off them. Having singled out the leader he attempted to interrogate him when a powerful thought flashed through the man's brain.

 _Ahsoka_

That was the last straw, Vader killed him.

He could not risk thoughts of her seeping into his had left him alone. She knew that he loved her, but she did it walked away from everything that held them together for nothing. _Stop_ ,he thought to himself, _you are visiting Padmé the only person you truly care about._ Vader expelled those emotions as the door opened to Padmé's apartment.

There she was as beautiful as a butterfly yet she seemed lethargic. His new abilities would soothe her. She was wearing a crimson dress, its many folds and layers attempting to conceal the taut muscles he felt as he embraced her. Something was different this time, there was a change in the air, he could feel it. Suddenly, he was consumed by his ever present anger, he had realized she did not return his embrace.

Padmé sat silently as she watched Vader's anger burn on his face, behind them one of Padmé's chairs crumpled into a ball while every single window in her house began to crack. He really was more powerful but at a cost. Those brilliant blue eyes that she could loose herself in where gone, replaced by the trademark ambers eyes of the Sith.

"Control yourself, these things are all I have left."

The windows stopped cracking but his rage didn't subside.

"Why are you upset, I have given you everything ? Without me you would be dead."

"Maybe if you weren't so focused on yourself you could sense my thoughts."muttered Padmé.

"Fine, I sense sadness, a great sense of fear for our children, and something that is a driving force in you. It's a fear ... of me. Padmé how could you think that. Is obi wan still trying to contact you. Even when he is not here he is poisoning you."

"No, Anakin, you did this, you want to corrupt our children, you murder, you destroy entire cities for what for nothing."

"Don't call me Anakin!"

Padmé's windpipe began to close as she helplessly clawed at it. Then, it stopped, Vader stood up and without a word left.

This was the turning point for Padmé she couldn't take this anymore, she was leaving tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

_**So yeah, here's the revised version of chapter 2. -Kiera**_

 **Chapter 2**

Padmé anxiously watched the clock, waiting for it to hit 12:00. That was when the last maid left the house, and when she would make her escape. Finally after hours of waiting, the clock struck 12:00. Padmé heard the front door creak closed. She was wearing a dark full body suit and a rough,worn cloak that concealed her favorite blaster and a pack full of jewelry, to be sold for credits. Padmé crept into the nursery, she had given both Luke and Leia a mild sleeping pill to insure her a quick getaway. She gently cradled the twins in a rudimentary sling across her chest.

Then, she made her way into the office. Placing her hand against the wall she felt for any irregularity. Most of the senators' houses had a secret passage in case they were in danger. Padmé's finger gently grazed a seemingly harmless indentation, she stopped and retrieved small dagger from her pack.

Placing in the spot where her fingers had lingered she cut through the paper thin wall plaster in a giant rectangle. Now that she had outlined the door way she forced the door open with her shoulder. The stairway looked like a passage to the Underworld complete with dim lights and cold stone tiles. After descending about 6 flights of stairs, she came upon a rusty metal door, it opened into a filthy alleyway. Humongous piles of garbage had hidden the door and the only light came from a distant nightclub sign.

Padmé took a deep breath, she missed the feeling of adventure and Coruscant was different from the last time she saw it, at this hour you would usually see countless bar and club patrons wandering the streets, but the street was deserted. The entire city seemed quiet, an event that never happened. Where were all the flashing hologram ads and the swarms of people waiting to enter the newest restaurant? Under the emperor, Coruscant had changed but so had Padmé. You don't have time for reflection , she chided herself, you need to find a transport off this place. With that, she ran off into the night.

First all Vader could see was darkness, then the voices came. Distant screams and parts of conversations. They were all different but they carried the same message ... death. Faces began to appear out of the gloom many giving him a look of betrayal. Vader realized these were the faces of those he had killed. Desperately he tried to run, to hide from them but they pulled him into the shadows with them. _You can't_ _escapewhat you did_ they called.

He burst out of his dream shivering and cold. Though this was a regular occurrence, he thought he could still hear their eerie voices. He just hoped he hadn't woken Padmé. He was about to turn to her side of the bed when he realized his mistake. She wasn't there with him anymore, she was in her house. It's for her own good, Vader thought, Padmé could be a target for assassins. Just to reaffirm himself he reached out to her bedroom with the Force. It was vacant , clothes were strewn everywhere, and her jewelry chest was empty. Quickly visualizing the rest of the house, it dawned on him. Frantically, he ran to the nursery.

The cribs were rocking gently, and the baby mobile was playing a soft lullaby. He desperately searched through the hand sewn quilts for his babies. He cried out for Luke and Leia. His beautiful children were gone. They all left him. The hot tears burned he cheeks as they carved their way down his cheek. They eroded him, weathered him away until he was nothing. Like a mountain hewn in half by a stream. He had no legacy, no one to pass on to all that he built. He had no one. He truly was alone. His mind still couldn't process that she had left with the kids. Immediately his mind went to Obi wan, he must have corrupted Padmé and convinced her to join him. His anger coursed through his veins. Vader needed to find her. She was his life. _Obi wan will pay for this_. Grabbing his lightsaber and his cloak, he stormed out of the door.

The grey monotone of the transport hull offered little comfort. The twins had awoken and were bawling uncontrollably. Padmé tried to soothe them, but nothing was working. At least she was one of the only people in the transport, it seems that not many people were interested in leaving Coruscant and for good reason. Under the Empire, many planets economies had deteriorated while in Coruscant ,the Imperial Capitol, it was relatively stable. This had persuaded many people to remain in Coruscant, but not Padmé. Even if she was living on some desolate planet it was better than her old life. She couldn't take another second being constantly watched and forced to see the monster her husband had become. Padmé had hopped onto the first ship she saw, so she had no idea where they were headed. She stared at the flickering lights waiting for whatever life awaits her.


	3. Chapter 3

**So here is this weeks new chapter. Please review , I definetly need some constructive criticism**. **Hope you** **like this. Happy Valentine's Day!**

 **Chapter 3**

Padmé lounged in a chair gazing out at the city. Ahsoka's apartment had a great view. Padmé could see for miles around, she always wanted to visit Shili. Her senatorial duties had kept her from coming here. Ahsoka sank down into the chair next to her. Ever since she left the order, it had been hard supporting herself. Ahsoka had bags under her eyes from 12 hours of nonstop work. Padmé poured her a large cup of caf and scooted her chair closer to hers. Ahsoka was as heartbroken as Padmé had been when she found out About Anakin's betrayal. Padmé knew Ahsoka thought of Anakin as her older brother and ,more importantly, her mentor. She tried to comfort her as much as she could, Padmé was all Ahsoka had left now. " Look, I know this is hard for you, but you need to push past this. Vader is not Anakin as much as you and I want to believe it. The best thing to do right now is to fight back. Anakin would have wanted us to fight for what's right. We have to hope that maybe we can restore things to the way they were. After that, who knows, maybe Anakin will come back. I'm here for you, we'll get through this together." Ahsoka said nothing but pulled Padmé into a tight sisterly embrace. She could feel Ahsoka's tears stain the back of her dress. With one final sob, Ahsoka released the hug and sat up, a determined look in her eyes. At that moment, Padmé knew that Ahsoka would do whatever it takes to restore the peace.

Vader had just finished sparring in the practice room aboard the star destroyer he was currently residing on. He preferred a more discreet form of transportation, but the Emperor insisted that the iron fist of the Empire flaunt his status. Honestly, he felt like he was being paraded around like when he was the Chosen One. He hated it then and he hated it now. Vader arrived at his room and threw himself into bed. He was bored, there was nothing to do except wait for their arrival at Shili. There was a time when he would spend this time taking to Obi wan. They would tell jokes and recount their previous missions. _Stop_ , a voice said in his head, _these thoughts are poisoning you_. _You can't_ _let anyone take away your power_. There was a knock on the door and Vader ceased meditating. Standing outside of his room was a tan skinned Imperial officer with her curly hair cut close to her chin. "My Lord, we will approaching Shili in 3 standard hours."

"Good, alert the imperial officers stationed in the capital. I want everything to be perfect."

" Yes sir, right away Lord Vader."

The officer left Vader and again his mind wandered back to Padmé.

Ahsoka couldn't sleep. The incessant noises coming from outside of her apartment were bothering her. Everytime she tried to drift off to sleep, a loud bang, crash, or clang would startle her. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she peered cautiously out of the window. A squadron of storm troopers were attempting to hang a banner with the Empire's crest on it. They were failing miserably. How was it that the highly organized clone army of the Republic could be turned into the idiot battalion? An annoyed officer pinched the bridge of his nose. " Troopers, do you realize that if any of the decorations are out of place Lord Vader will have my head? He is orbiting the planet as we speak and I know he won't be pleased by our lack of progress." _Darth_ _Vader is coming here !_ _He must have sensed Padmé when she broke down in that alley._ They had to escape now. Ahsoka dressed and hastily retrieved her lightsabers before bursting into Padmé's bedroom. Padmé said up groggily . " What's going on Ahsoka?"

" Vader is coming here. He found you Padmé, we have to leave right now!" Padmé bolted out of bed and threw on her clothes. Quickly, she grabbed the twins and her blaster and made her way to the apartment door. Ahsoka took one last look at the place before exiting, she knew she could never return. " Where can we go? I can't think of anywhere that would be a safe place to take the kids without attracting Imperial attention."

Padmé looked at her with determination in her expression." Don't worry I know a place. It's isolated from all the other systems, so it isn't very well known. Most of it is covered in water except for small island archipelagos. I knew a senator who had a beach house there. It's called Alto Marianis." With that, she pulled her children closer to her and dashed towards the nearest space port.

Vader impatiently paced the deck of the star destroyer. The Emperor insisted he make a grand entrance, so he had to wait until morning. If Padmé found out he was here, nothing was stopping her from leaving the planet. He had officers monitoring all of the ships leaving Shili. Hopefully, he could sense the one Padmé was on. " Sir, there is a small two person fighter leaving the capital." informed an officer. Vader reached out hoping to feel anything that might indicate Padmé on that ship. Unfortunately, he came up blank. He knew that the presence was female, but he couldn't distinguish it. Still, he should probably double was powerful shield on her mind, nothing Padmé could do herself. She must be traveling with a Jedi. Maybe he could try a different approach. If the Jedi was who he thought she was , she would forget to shield the twins. Though they were infants, they could still retain small snippets of conversation. He was rewarded with the word Alto Marianis. Of course, one of Padmé's senator friends had a house there. Vader left the bridge and crept towards the hangar. If the star destroyer's presence is what tipped them off, he would have to do this discreetly. Taking a TIE fighter from its docking point he persuaded the tractor beam operator to let him leave. Setting the course for Alto Marianis, Vader entered hyperspace and was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey** **guys** , **I really** **surprised that I'm keepin** g **this** **up.** **Thanks for all** **your support** **. It means a lot to me. Thank you for reviewing. If you find any plot holes, tell me. Hope you all have a great week.**

 **CHAPTER 4**

The boat rocked back and forth in the waves. It was soothing to Padmé, Ahsoka on the other hand did not look so pleased. She had a constant green tinge to her complexion. They had been sailing around an island chain in Alto Marianis for two whole weeks. They only stopped at the islands for food and fresh water. Padmé had to admit she loved the warm sun on her face and the salty ocean breeze. She was pale from being trapped in Coruscant, but she quickly received a nice bronze tan from the sun. The children seemed to enjoy the weather too. They would squeal in delight when a magenta seabird flew over their heads, and the luminescent Chaufish would inspire awe in them during the night. Padmé would often spend her time telling the children stories or singing lullabies and she wasn't the only one who loved them. Sometimes, she would catch Ahsoka telling them old Togrutan wise tales or talking about the Hero with No Fear. It warmed her heart to know that someone loved her children as much as she did.

Ahsoka coughed and Padmé was startled from her reverie. Ahsoka had a worried look and her presence screamed anxiety. " Padmé, so I was telling the kids a story when I sensed something through the Force. I probed their minds a bit since they are bother strong in the force they can sense disturbances. Well, when I was doing that I realized that I could feel someone else doing the same exact thing and I remembered that I never really shielded the children. I think Vader has been using them to track us. We need to be prepared for when he arrives. " This thought troubled Padmé immensely. She had just escaped from his clutches, she would never go back. _Think ,Padmé, think , what is the source of all of his power? The Force._ If there was some way she could block his powers even for a moment she could incapacitate him. " Ahsoka, are anyways that you can block the force from someone ?" " I don't know a way, but I do know a thing that could help us. These reptiles called ysalamirs create a Force proof bubble around themselves. Maybe, we could find a way to plant one on Vader"

"That's a great idea Ahsoka. Hopefully, the nearest port sells exotic animals. We can only get one though, I'm almost out of jewelry to pawn." Padmé looked out at the large expanse of water and thought, Bring it on Vader. Whatever you say have planned, we're ready for you.

Vader had been aimlessly boating around Alto Marianis for weeks. His ship was small but it did not need a sail. He never learned how to sail in the water being from Tattooine. He was navigating using only the Force, tracking Padmé through the children. It was near midnight when he approached Padmé's sailboat. It was considerably larger and sleeker. He resolved to use her boat instead of his rust bucket. He scaled the hull with ease and crept silently along the deck. Entering the captain's room expecting to see Padmé he was instead greeted by Ahsoka with her lightsabers ignited. Igniting he own he attacked, years of anger directed at her pouring into every strike. Her swordsmanship had increased but he knew she couldn't win. He was too powerful, the Dark side adding strength to every movement. Sure, she was not Obi wan, but her death would vanquish at least one of the demons still lurking inside of him. She had left him when he needed her, he reminded himself. New anger invigorated him, fueling his attack.

She began to tire, her reflexes slowed slightly and she left her shoulder exposed. Knowing this was his chance, he slashed at her and landed right into a trap. Anticipating this, she sidestepped and kicked his feet out from under him. As he was sprawled on the deck he felt a metal cuff locking onto his wrist attached to something alive. Then, he felt empty. He could no longer feel the Force. The more he strained to retrieve it the more it slipped from his grasp. He shot to his feet, even without the Force he could take Ahsoka in hand to hand combat. He looked around the deck searching for her but was met by a shadowy figure in a cloak.

His new opponent was muscular, yet feminine in her build. She removed her hood and he was shocked to see his wife. Sure, Padmé could handle herself in a fight but she was never a combat person. She preferred diplomacy. A smug look crossed his face, was she foolish enough to think she could take him. Breaking out of a house was one thing, and fighting Darth Vader was another. He dropped his lightsaber, this would be over so quick he didn't need one. He positioned himself in a defensive stance. Like lightning she struck, two fast kicks to the gut and one sharp blow to the head was all it took. Darth Vader , evil Sith Lord, has out cold.

Padmé grinned in satisfaction, she knew he hadn't anticipated her speed. He was probably going to go easy on her. Petting the ysalamir chained to Vader's wrist she walked away, her kids needed her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Jackson Hole next week ,so next update might be a couple days late. Anyway, I'll continue to update weekly. If any of you have ideas for chapter titles I would be delighted to hear them. I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter ! - Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 5**

Vader was in a dark cell that reeked of fish. He tried to unlock to cell door before noticing the rusty,old handcuff that bound him to that the damn ysalamir. He was helpless, and it bothered him immensely. Vader hated being trapped, it reminded him of his past enslavement. All he could do was plan and reflect. When did his wife become so agile? Sure, he always knew she was a highly capable woman, and he suspected that she was increasing in physical strength. But, he never expected her to best him in a fight, as usual he let his arrogant, prideful nature get the best of him. Deep down, he felt a slight sense of thoughts were interrupted by a dull pain in his side. His gut still ached and his head throbbed. Still, he was determined to break out of here. He had escaped worse prisons. It didn't matter that it was his wife that put him in this hell hole, he had to escape.

So, he just sat there and racked his brain for any means of freedom. Sometimes, his mind would wander and he would remember his old Jedi days. Other days, he would just stare blankly at the ceiling. It was incredibly boring ,but it was better than the little sleep he sustained. All he could dream about were those voices in the shadows. As he awoke sweating from one of his nightmares, he felt the urge to meditate. Perhaps it could relax his mind and he could finally receive some peaceful slumber. His breathing slow and his vision blurred as he was swept away in a distant memory.

 _The heat was unbearable, and that was coming from someone who lied on a desert planet. He noticed that he as gripping a blue lightsaber. Lava cascaded from cliffs and formed a churning river of molten rock. The droid he was standing on wobbled under his weight. In the distance , he could see another figure illuminated by a blue saber. '"Kenobi.", he snarled as he urged the droid further. The next few moment were a blur of motion and Obi wan let from his platform onto the black rocks. Vader could barely recognize the words Kenobi was saying before he left forward. His opponent gave him a deep wound on his thigh as well as a sharp jab to the shoulder. The lightsaber rolled away from his limp arm. Obi wan used the Force to stir a momentary dust cloud between them. Staggering, Vader groped for his lightsaber, while yelling curses at his adversary. When, the dust cleared Obi wan was gone and Vader was subjected to a grueling hike back to his shuttle._

Vader stirred from his reverie. A new wave of anger swept through him. Refreshed, he returned to sleep hoping for a lapse in his nightmares. This was his routine for an entire week until one night after a storm. Humongous waves had left some salt water puddles down in the steerage. Small droplets constantly dripped onto his face annoying him to no end. Then he remebered a crucial fact. Ysalamirs were extremely sodium intolerant. Just a few small droplets could kill it. Vader shifted so that the droplets were positioned right above the open mouth of the sleeping ysalamir. Like that, his power returned. He bent away the bars and unlocked the cuffs. Finally, he was free from that cell. He had to figure out a way to take Padmé with him though. Just then, he felt something in the Force, the strongest pull to the Dark side he had ever felt. It probably came from an old Sith temple that experimented with the force, tainting the area forever. The call seemed to be coming from a distant island off the port side of the boat. Even though it was at least 8 miles away, he could feel the pure dark energy. _Come here. Come to the temple. Here you will find a way to make your wife love you again._ The temptation was too much, Vader found a paddle boat hanging from the side of the deck and lowered it into the water. He jumped in and began his trek to the mysterious island.

Ahsoka felt a sense of uneasiness. There was a lot of dark energy near them. It unnerved her. As if on cue, the twins began to bawl, no doubt sensing it too. She could tell it came from an island surrounded by ash clouds. Something else was wrong also. Hopefully, it was just her nerves, but she knew better. As she reached the hold, she found a dead ysalamir and a mangled cell. Dammit! She thought as she raced to find Padmé. Padmé was equally distraught when she heard the news. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. Vader had obviously escaped and was now en route to the island. "Ahsoka, I need you to watch the kids while I go after him."

"No I should go, I should have known he would escape." Padmé put a comforting hand in her shoulder. " No, it's me he wants. I know how to sail better than you and you could be seduced by the Dark side." Ahsoka relented , Padmé could sometimes be very persuasive. She hugged her friend as she disembarked on a small sailboat into the heart of the danger.

Padmé had beached her boat in the black volcanic sand of the island. The air here was putrid and smoky. It hurt her throat just inhaling it. A strange red light came from a cave at the crest of the highest peak of a mountain. Groaning, she began climbing the mountain side. It took her at least two hours to reach the summit. She had minuscule scrapes everywhere and her hair was covered in dust. Warily, she entered the strange cave. Along the wall, there were violent illustrations below some sort of primitive Sith language. The tunnel went on for what seemed to be forever until opening into a strange room with an altar at the center. A glowing crystal was embedded into the altar and a man was hovering over it, his face illuminated by the sickly orange hue it exuded. In his right hand he held an ancient, rusty knife ready to slice his other palm with it. " Why are you doing this?" Padmé inquired. " Don't you see this is the only way. The only way you will ever love me. The temple, its telling me that the powers I will gain will save you." Vader replied angrily. " "Anakin, I'm not the one who needs saving." she retorted. " I already told you, I will never be able to follow you on this path. I told you, before you attacked me and nearly killed Obi wan. The only reason he escaped was because your cockiness overtook your sense of reason. Do you even realize that when you kill, you are destroying a soul? Not a droid, but a living, breathing human."

" Don't call me Anakin! " he screamed and with that, he cut his hand and placed it on top of the crystal. An inky black thing spewed from it, engulfing Vader. This place she realized was so attuned to the Dark side that it personified it. She was paralyzed in disgust and fear as the darkness wrapped itself around her lost husband.


	6. Chapter 6

Tendrils of darkness were now emanating from Vader's back. His face was contorted in pain. Suddenly the darkness enveloped him, covering him from head to toe in churning black matter. It began to be absorbed into his skin and Padmé could tell something was terribly wrong.

Finally, the last of the shadow entered into Vader at the top of his forehead. His head dipped down as if he were asleep. Then a horrible laugh came from him. It was the sound of fire,death, and destruction with no feeling but a primal hatred. Vader smiled and Padmé was horrified. The last bits of her husband swept away. This thing wasn't anything human, it a literal incarnation of the dark side. Vader's irises were a swirling mix of blood red and black and as he grinned he revealed canines as sharp as a nexu's. Padmé back away in fear when an invisible hand grabbed her by her neck.

The power Vader felt was exhilarating. He felt as if he could destroy worlds and build them again in an instant. The power leaked from his very body shaking the ground beneath him. It was a wonderful sensation. The shadow whispered in his ear. _Embrace the power, you will have everything you dreamed of. You can make a galaxy without fear, prejudice, and oppression. The power the emperor supplies you is tied to him. You are his willing slave. All you have to do is kill her, she is your weakness. She will corrupt you and destroy your utopia._ Almost involuntarily his force choke on Padmé tightened. He was one moment away from killing her when he took the time to actually look at her.

He could see the scar from where the nexu attacked her on Geonosis, he pictured her with her regal Naboo makeup. He saw her curly chocolate brown hair he loved to wrap his hands in. Then came her eyes, he thought he could see her memories in them. He remembered when they first met, when they first kissed, their marriage, and when she told him she was pregnant. The more he gazed into her eyes the more he realized that they held a melancholy that hadn't been there before. He saw more images he saw her grief at Mustafar, her anguish when he would throw a fit, and how that everytime she looked at him she would cringe in fear. He had done this he had broken her. Not just Padmé , he realized, he had broken families, murdered people. For what, for this power, this destructive evil power.

He realized that he didn't want this. All he truly wanted was her and this power was trying to force him to kill her. _Why are you hesitating_ ,said the shadow impatiently, _just do it_. Enough, he yelled internally, Padmé may be my weakness but she is also my strength. Through her I see what I really am, an emotionless monster. I don't want this. You can take your fucking power with you because I'm done. I'm done trying to convince myself that I'm the hero. My family needs me and I will be there. With that a bright light exploded from Anakin and burned away the darkness.

Padmé dropped to the floor, a bright piercing light blinded her. Finally when it subsided Vader was standing in the midst of it ,but something has changed. She flinched as he ran towards her, yet there was nothing aggressive about him. Startled she noticed that his eyes had reverted back to their electric blue and glistening with tears. "Padmé, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll be okay if you hate me, but please just let me be the father I always wanted to be. It's okay if you never want to see me again, I just want you to know that I regret everything I've done over the past year. I love you." He choked. Padmé didn't need to be force sensitive to know that he really felt the gravity of his mistakes weigh down on him. She pulled him into a tight hug. " I don't hate you, I know you regret your choice. We can redeem you, together. I'll be there for you, for once I'll be the one protecting you." And together they left that horrible island and returned to the boat.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, I just got back from an amazing ski vacation. I hope you like this chapter. I'm going to introduce characters like Obi wan and Bail Organa in the upcoming chapters. Again, I definitely need some help with chapter titles. Anyway, please review and feel free to PM me with any questions,advice, or requests. - Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 7**

It had been one week since Anakin returned to Padme and already he showed some signs of improvement. Sure the guilt from all the problems he caused bore down on him, but hey, at least he wasn't an evil mastermind. Ahsoka and her had _borrowed_ an old villa located on a remote island. Back in the days of the Republic, someone probably spent their vacations here, but when the Clone Wars broke out they must have chosen to remain on their homeworld. Though it had not been used in years, the musty old house was still had beautiful sapphire blue exterior. Silky drapes adorned every window, and the floors were made of a crystalline volcanic rock. The house smelled like salt water, over the years late deposits of sand and shells had found their way into the house.

When she awoke after a long nap, she found Ahsoka asleep next to the children. Smiling, she wandered the house searching for her beloved. Padmé found Anakin moping around the deck of the villa, gazing out at the ocean. He had be cooped up in the dark, dirty steerage of their boat for weeks. Padmé put her arm around him and admired the rosy sunset. The sun made Anakin appear to have a pink glow to his face. His hair was tangled from the wind, and his skin a sun kissed tan once more. He inched closer to her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. At first glance he seemed fine, but Padme noticed that his eyes lacked their usual luster, and his expression was one of remorse. Then, she had an epiphany. Grabbing Anakin's hand, she dragged him out onto the beach. The warm sand tickled her toes and the cool surf swept her off her feet.

Anakin helped Padmé up. Her beautiful coral gown was soaked, so he gave her his cream colored shirt to use as a towel. With the warm sun on their backs, Padmé gestured for him to follow her. "Exactly, where are we going, Angel ?" he inquired. "Shh, it's a surprise, something to get you out of your mood." Padmé stopped and waded waist deep in the sea. " Come on, the entrance is this way." She dove into the waves, Anakin diving in after her. She led him to a secluded cave wreathed in vines and aromatic flowers. Anakin plucked one and put it behind her ear. " How did you find this place it's beautiful." he said as he looked around. " I noticed it when I was looking for you." She nuzzled up against him and he wrapped his arms around her surprisingly muscular shoulders. And there they sat, looking at the waves and the sunset. Forgetting who they were and why they were supposed to do, just holding each other as the purple moon cast a halo around them. And there they stayed until they feel asleep with the waves lapping their clothes.

Anakin woke up with Padmé's curly brown hair tickling his nose. Carefully he slid his arm out from under his sleeping wife. She was right it did help him out of his mood. He still felt guilty for all the problems he caused but moping around wouldn't solve anything. There was a yawn to his left and he grinned. " Good morning, Angel." She moved closer to him and placed her head in the crook of his neck. He breathed in the sweet smell of tropical flowers. As they walked home along the beach, it dawned on him that he wasn't bothered by the sand. _Seriously Anakin_ , he chided himself, _you're going there_. After stopping to pick fresh chibifruit for breakfast, they were about to return home when a ball of sand hit Anakin in the back of his head." You are totally going to regret that." said Anakin as he scooped up a mound of sand. It hit Padmé square in the chest. Laughing, they engaged in an intense sand fight. Padmé ended up tackling Anakin into the waves. The battle continued as they attempted to splash each other. Curious as to the origin of the noise, Ahsoka had come down from the villa and was caught up into the chaos.

Soon all of them had sand in their hair and their clothes were sopping wet. After a good hour or so, they returned to the villa leaving little puddles of salt water on the floor. Padmé was curled up on top of Anakin absentmindedly playing with his curls. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest on her cheek. " Padmé, can I see the kids? I feel bad that I've been neglecting them for so long. I want them to have a real father, unlike me." he said with a hint of bitterness. Softly, they entered the cozy nursery. Luke was sleeping peacefully, unlike Leia who was eyeing them suspiciously. Carefully Anakin cradled Luke in his arms, his tiny fingers grasping his thumb. Leia began to tug on his curls. He could feel their faint pulses and sense their little heartbeats. Their force signatures were extremely bright and vibrant. They were lucky. Somewhere in the galaxy, there was a child with their ability being slaughtered like an animal. _And I was usually the one doing the killing_ , he thought guiltily. Padmé placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. " We can't focus on the past. What we need to do now is look towards the future. We need to hope that our children will eventually live a life free of oppression and violence. I've been wanting to talk to you about joining the rebellion. With your intel, we could turn the tides once and for all." Anakin looked at Luke and Leia and his paternal instincts kicked in. His grip on them tightened subconsciously. " Alright, I'm in."


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys sorry for the late update. I was at a big St. Patrick's day parade. I'm trying to make the chapters. Always, if you have any questions PM me and also review.- Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 8**

Light. A blinding light was sweeping through the force. It swirled around Obi wan, blanketing him in love and warmth. Something had changed. He had never felt this much light. There were faint wisps of the Dark, like tiny ink spills. Though, the vast majority was overwhelming light. He opened his eyes and got to his feet. His legs ached from hours of intense meditation. The Force surrounding him had a certain spark to it, like thousands of fireflies were gathered around him. Obi wan knew that a marvelous thing had happened. He closed his eyes once more, determined to find the root of the light. Waves of happiness and love were emanating from a very familiar force signature.

"It can't be," he gasped, "it's impossible." No one could return from the darkness, yet he could feel his former padawan's presence clear as day. _Best to keep it to yourself. You should investigate this matter privately, most people here would be glad to see Anakin's head on a spike._ Exiting his chambers, Obi wan stepped into the bustling hallway. The rebels were constantly trying to stay one step ahead of the Empire. This subterranean base was responsible for the creation of rebel codes, as well as a safe haven for Jedi fugitives and assorted rebels.

So far, Obi wan was the only one who managed to find this place. It grew lonely being the only Force sensitive in the Sullustian base, but it beat rotting in the Citadel. Suddenly, Obi wan's comlink went off and a tiny image of Bail Organa appeared in his gauntlet.

"Obi wan," he said, "I need you to do me a favor. It seems that Senator Amidala has escaped Vader and is looking to join the Rebellion. Unfortunately, I can't make the trip to Espirion to retrieve her. I know you were friends, and I was hoping if you could do it." Of course, Anakin must be traveling with Padmé, those two seemed to be conjoined at the hip.

"Anything to aide the Rebellion, sir," nodded Obi wan.

"Good, I will be here when you arrive with Padmé. Make sure she is not injured. She's been through too much already." With that, Bail's image flickered and dissappeared. Obi wan made his way to the hangar, he had a job to do.

After many hours, Obi wan finally arrived at Espirion. It looked like a glass orb with stripes of blue and purple encircling it. From what he had heard, the people were very accepting and open to all beings. Obi wan's rusty, old space freighter touched down in the capital city and he was blown away. Towers made of some crystalline material that sparkled in iridescent light. Hundreds of domed areas supported countless alien races. It seemed to be a utopia. A sparkling kingdom surrounded by greed and hatred.

The only downside was the throngs of people made it very difficult to find two people in a sea of faces. He would have to rely on his Force sense. It lead him down several side streets and he found himself facing a quaint cafe nestled in a peaceful corner. Even from a distance he could see three figures, one with orange skin and montrals, one with chocolate hair and soft features, and another completely covered in a cloak, fawning over two adorable babies. Grinning, he casually strode up to them.

Anakin was sipping his lukewarm caf when another cloaked figure approached them. Warily, he craned his head to see the person's face. He was surprised to be looking into the eyes of his old master.

"Anakin?" He whispered. Anakin nodded and straightened in his seat.

"But, I thought that you fell." Tears glistening in his eyes, Anakin rose .

"I did and I regret every moment of it. Look, Obi wan, I know it doesn't mean much, but I want to apologize for Mustafar. I know you were as hurt as I was. I'm ..." Before Anakin could finish, Obi wan swept him into a tight hug.

"I thought you were lost. I thought that I'd only see you on the battlefield." Anakin didn't know how to respond, Obi wan rarely expressed his feelings like this.

"Okay, okay, save the bromance stuff for later. I assume you are here to take us to the Rebels," snipped Ahsoka.

After returning to Obi wan's ship, he entered the coordinates to Sullust and they were off. Ahsoka gazed at the bluish blur of hyperspace. She wondered if maybe, just maybe, Lux had joined the rebels. This stuff seemed to be right up his alley. Sleep began to overwhelm her and her eyelids drooped. These thoughts would have to wait for tomorrow.

Padmé stared anxiously at the surface of Sullust. In a few short minutes she would be a part of the Rebellion. She heard Anakin approach her and wrap her in a firm, one armed hug. It was odd, the former second in command of the Empire and his housebound wife joining the rebel ranks. As they descended into a secluded cave, Padmé was greeted with the blaring lights of holoscreens and the monotone hum of machinery. Frantic people sprinted from one area to the next. She hadn't seen this much commotion in a place.

A form she recognized as Bail shifted impatiently on his heels. She could feel Anakin's hug tighten. Kriff, she forgot, she was bringing the iron fist of the Empire into one of the rebellions most crucial bases. Hopefully, Bail would remain stoic and see reason. He would be the last person that she would expect to do something brash. She would find that she was sorely mistaken.

The first person off the freighter was Ahsoka. She was strapped to what looked like a makeshift baby carrier made from scraps Anakin repurposed. Her eyes scanned the crowd, her face fell when she saw no sign of Lux. Obi wan followed her, giving Bail a curt nod. He was not one for grand entrances, unlike some of the more dramatic people on the ship. Then came Padmé in a striking violet gown, gold cords wrapped around her stomach, and a gauzy shawl adorning her shoulders. Finally, Anakin cautiously exited the craft. He wished his stature and striking features didn't attract so much attention. He felt the entire base's anxiety and suspicion. All he wanted was for them to hear him out.

Anakin really wanted to prove that he was back on their side. Maybe, this could help him repent for his prior mistakes. But, a look of pure disgust and anger crossed Bail's face, and everyone began to subsequently open fire on him. He tried his best not to retaliate, opting to nimbly dodge the bullets. _Okay, maybe not so gracefully_ , he thought as a blast caught his shoulder. A blur of orange stepped in front of him. The blur ignited her swords and deflected the fire. Meanwhile, Obi wan and Padmé were futilely attempting to convince Bail to call off this attack.

"Bail, this is insanity. You know Anakin has returned. He hasn't attacked anyone here. Look at him Bail, he isn't even trying to defend himself. Don't you trust me." Padmé wailed.

"What you are experiencing is Stockholm Syndrome. I don't know about Obi wan and Ahsoka, but I'm sure they have been brainwashed or forced into this. Do you know how many people he has killed? How many bases just like these he has destroyed ? I've seen entire cities razed because of him. His crimes against the galaxy are inexcusable. He must face justice." Bail retorted.

Ahsoka, momentarily distracted by the commotion around Bail, yelped in pain. A blast had singed her hand, causing her to drop one of her sabers in surprise. Another caught her in her right knee and she collapsed. The rebels didn't cease fire, they continued to shoot. At this rate, Ahsoka didn't have much time left. Desperately, Anakin tried to move towards her. Reaching into the Force, he could feel her anguish. Righteous fury coursed through him and he let out a Force blast. The tremor caused most of the rebels to fly backwards. Though the battle had momentarily ceased, Anakin's inner turmoil did not. He clutched his head and a low moan emanated from his throat .

Padmé ran over to him in dismay, her face right with worry. Gently, she put her arm around him in a comforting gesture. Recognizing, this action Anakin met her eyes and she cried out in horror. His eyes were once again a sickly amber. As if registering the magnitude of his Force blast, pure misery radiated off him in waves. Tears formed in his eyes as he buried his face in Padmé's lap. Suddenly, his head snapped up like prey that realized it had been cornered. The end of a small pistol was held against his temple. Bail Organa stood over him, giving him a somber look.

"Darth Vader, for your crimes, I hereby condemn you to your rightful sentence. Death." Padmé was desperately trying to breath. After all her hard work, her future was being ripped away from her in an instant. _Not today,_ she thought, as she silently began to creep her hand toward's Bail's wrist. Perhaps she could disarm him.

Just as she was about to strike, a regal vote cry could be heard across the hangar.

Apparently, Obi wan had successfully located Mon Mothma within the base. There she stood, she held herself with pride and was followed by a small entourage. Mon's close cut auburn hair was unadorned, and she wore a simple white tunic. She began to slowly walk towards her disillusioned coworker, if one could call him that. She placed her hand on the pistol, signally for him to lay down arms.

A cry escaped from one of her entourage as he broke away from the group and cradled Ahsoka's limp body. Lux Bonteri's tears splashed onto Ahsoka's face. A weak grin crossed Ahsoka's face before her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Mothma. " A Jedi has been seriously injured because your emotions clouded your judgment. From what I have witnessed and heard Anakin has not outwardly attacked any of us. Obi wan believes that the light in him overpowers the dark and Padmé obviously agrees. Can't we resolve this diplomatically? I tire of bloodshed." Bail , though looking at Anakin in distaste, agreed.

"Very well, since Vader has not shown any form of aggression we will allow him to stay, but guards will be posted around his living area. Also, Master Kenobi will act as his supervisor, so to speak, and he will keep him out of trouble."

" May I suggest that I help purge the majority of the Dark side from Anakin. He will forever bear its mark, but this procedure will prevent incidents like this from happening again." chimed Obi wan.

"I suppose." said Mon Mothma. "Now, that that matter has been settled, I need to speak with Padmé in private."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys. Happy Easter. I've decided that I'm going to attempt to make the cheaper longer. Hopefully, I can still publish them on time. As always if you have any questions just PM and please review. I definitely need the advice. 9/17/16 This is probably the most heavily revised chapter because I had to basically rewrite an entire scene-Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 9**

As soon as they entered Mothma's personal quarters, the regal look evaporated from Mon's face. She looked like an excitable teenage girl.

"Tell me everything. Obi wan said something about you guys reconciling? Did he really reject the Dark side? What are you going to do with the children?" Mon spewed a volley of questions in her direction, it took a minute for her to process them all.

"Where do begin? I escaped my house arrest and I boarded a transport to Shili. There, I met Ahsoka again and we patched things up. Then, we fled to Alto Marianis where I captured Anakin and detained him aboard our ship. He broke out and made his way to some old Sith temple. I guess he had an epiphany of some sort because he was about to kill me and the strangest thing happened. His eyes became glassy and he looked like he was in some sort of daydream. Anakin rejected the Dark Side and he apologized to me. After a couple weeks, we decided to join the Rebellion and here we are. " Padmé said.

"As for the children, Anakin's really taken a liking to them, so I think it's pretty obvious that he wants to raise them. I truly believe Anakin has returned, Mon, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt him. I don't care if you doubt him, I know he's changed and you are not separating us."

Mon simply nodded, Padmé was still as stubborn and determined as she used to be. It was refreshing hearing Padmé speak with such conviction again. Finally, Mon had someone who could match her verbally. " Okay, I believe you. Maybe the Rebellion will give him a chance to make up for his crimes. Oh, and one last question, how did Anakin get that scar? I've always wondered. Someone told me he got it during a lightsaber fight."

Padmé snorted, "Lightsaber fight my ass. Ani was levitating rocks in the air, he sometimes does that when he had nothing else to do. One day, he decided to be immature and he began to bounce the rocks off a wall and stop them with the force. I was coming home from a Senate meeting and I opened the front door. He turned to look at me and he completely forgot about the most recent rock he hurled at the wall."

At this point, Padmé could barely contain her laughter. " And it hits him right next to his eye. He was unconscious for a solid hour. Anakin was so embarrassed he made up the whole lightsaber thing to, and I quote, 'increase his street rep'."

Now, both women were giggling so hard, they were crying. It reminded Padmé of the days when it was just her, Mon, and Bail hanging out after Senate meetings. No war, no secret marriage, and definitely no evil Sith Lord. It was just three friends, their entire lives ahead of them.

Anakin reluctantly entered the practice room. He hadn't meditated in a very long time, and when he had it was more like a glorified nap time. Obi wan sat in the center of the room, accompanied by Ahsoka. Looking at her now, he wished he could spar with her again. He missed teaching his padawan. Hopefully, he could do the same things with my kids. Unfortunately, Bail did not trust him with a single weapon, so he was relegated to the more passive, spiritual side of Jedi training. Quietly, he sat beside Obi wan and closed his eyes, his breathing slowed, and his mind began to roam.

 _We are here to purge you of the Dark side's control over you_ , echoed Obi wan's voice. _While you will be forever fated to have the Dark within you, it will not control you as it once had. Perhaps you can use your unique situation to your advantage._ The murky darkness of his mind began to clear, he was standing in a golden forest. Most of the forest was bathed in warm sunlight, but a portion of it was shrouded in inky black fog. He looked down at his hands to see that they were transparent and tinged a cerulean blue. The holographic blue apparitions of Ahsoka and Obi wan appeared beside him.

"Anakin, you must overcome the darkness residing in your soul if you ever want to genuinely be with your family. Ahsoka and I can offer you support and guidance, but we can not physically interfere."

He nodded, "Thanks Master.''

He flashed a quirky grin at Ahsoka. "Snips."

He tentatively approached the shadowed section of the forest. Igniting his blade, he entered the darkness. The blackness swirled around him, forming humanoid bodies. They whispered into Anakin's ear. Embrace it, join us. The power is calling to you. A blue light caused some of the darkness to disperse.

Anakin swung his lightsaber, cleaving through several forms. Everytime it seemed like the darkness would overwhelm him, he would emit a burst of light. With every shred of darkness he destroyed he would replace it with a memory, of his misadventures with Obi wan, his most intimate moments with Padmé, his friendship with Ahsoka, and every precious moment with his children.

It did not take him long to dispatch the majority of the darkness residing within him. Somehow, this darkness seemed to be unique. It was infused with righteous fury, a passion to protect his family, and strength. Perhaps this was the balance the prophecy spoke of. Now that he could wield both aspects of the Force, he could utilize the Dark and the Light while avoiding the negative parts of the respective sides. For strength, passion, and freedom he could call upon the Dark. For serenity, caring, and selflessness he could call upon the Light. The real challenge would preventing one side from gaining dominance over the other. Which meant that he would have to reign in his fiery temper, most of the time. After receiving reassuring looks from both Ahsoka and Obi wan, he let out a deep exhale and willed himself back into the real world.

When he awoke it was already late at night. Hopefully, the twins kept Padmé from wondering of his whereabouts.

Ahsoka yawned and stretched her arms, her feet were numb from sitting on them the entire day. It was for a good cause though. Once she was standing, she helped Anakin pull Obi wan from the floor. He was as stiff as a board. She was surprised he could even turn his head. It didn't take long for Obi wan and her to realize Anakin's mind was focused on something, or should she say someone, else.

After a quick goodbye, Anakin abruptly left the practice room and tore through the hallways. He skidded to a stop at Padmé's room, composed himself, and proceeds to knock on her door. A distant "Come in" was heard and Anakin barreled through the entrance. He swept Padmé up into a bone crushing hug, gently kissing her cheek as he did so. Her smell was intoxicating, like sweet blossoms in spring.

After releasing her, he gave her a mischievous grin. Realization dawned on her face, as she returned his grin with one of her own.

" I've missed you all day." he whispered into her ear.

" As did I." replied Padmé. "The twins are asleep in the other room, we're free to do whatever we want tonight," she purred seductively. She was robed in a simple cream nightgown, with midnight black lace. Her hair was down, reaching her hips.

Anakin pressed his face into the soft skin of her neck.

"Oh really," he growled, letting the yellow ooze into his eyes. Thanks to his newfound balance, he could change them at will. It would be perfect for tonight.

"Anakin, are you alright?" Padme sounded worried, skittish.

Anakin chuckled, " Don't worry, I can handle it now. I'm fine."

"I hate to admit it," she murmured as she nestled herself into the pillow on their bed, " I do find your yellow eyes to be _very_ alluring."

Anakin nipped her earlobe and wound his strong arms around her.

Padme reciprocated the action and pulled him closer by the front of his robe. He smirked and his eyes seemed to glow with more intensity.

Anakin wound his fingers in her curls, as they laid on the soft, silky bed. She returned his affection by running her slender hands up and down his back, sending tingles up his spine. Finally, they kissed each other with a fiery passion and let their desire run rampant.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys. Sorry for the late update. I've decided that I'm going to have Padmé and Anakin go on some other missions before confronting the Emperor. Also, I thought I'd try to make them inspired by Greek myths. Padmé's arc will be based off of the Illiad, and Anakin's will be the Odessey. I hope you like it. - Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 10**

Padmé awoke nestled in Anakin's arms, his hair tickling her nose. Slowly, she rose , she didn't want to wake sleeping beauty over there. For a master of stealth and silence, his snores where louder than a bantha call. She dressed quickly, for she had a busy day ahead of her. Today, she would receive her first assignment for the Rebellion.

Changing from her nightgown, she began to dress for the day. She donned a black dress with a rose pattern. Deep purple silk lines the inside of her dress. Padmé wore her hair in an intricate bun, held up by a jade hairpiece.

Anakin stirred soon afterwards, his hair tangled and his pants rumpled. He gave her one last kiss before she left for the war room.

The room was filled with various blinking lights and machines. In truth, Padmé felt quite overwhelmed, but she maintained her calm appearance when Mon and a weary Bail Organa entered. They led her to a map of the Medeani system.

" Padmé, on the planet of Medean there is a crucial Imperial database. It contains files of all of the Empire's inventions, weapons, and starships. One of our spies has informed us that, recently, several high ranking officers have visited the base. We believe that the plans for an Imperial superweapon are housed there, and that the Emperor has put that plan into action. We need you to infiltrate the base and steal those plans as well as any others you deem important," said Bail. " You will be going undercover as the new communications head. We have supplied you with the tools necessary to deceive the Imperials stationed there."

A rebel handed her a standard Imperial uniform, a fake ID, and a golden data chip.

"Our spy, Mistia Colchis, will aide you in the retrieval of said plans. From this point on your name is Neira Jason of Corellia. This is an extremely important mission, but we believe you are capable of the task ahead." Mon informed her. She gave her a reassuring look and was off.

Padmé had not expected such a mission, she thought she would be given a simple supply run or something of that nature. It filled her with a strange mix of pride and anxiety. Just wait till Anakin hears about this. _He will definetly not want me to do such a dangerous task._ As if by magic, Padmé ran into none other than Anakin Skywalker himself.

Anakin brushed a stray lock of hair from Padmé's face. She looked so elegant and beautiful. Her dress perfectly accentuated her curves and complimented her eyes. It was a shame he would have to leave her here. He had just been informed via comlink that, as a test of his allegiance, he and Obi wan had been assigned a supply run on the other end of the Galaxy. He hated departing so soon, but he needed to earn his keep. Anakin was lucky that Bail trusted him with this menial task at all.

He felt a ripple of anxiety from Padmé. She seemed nervous, like she was bearing bad news.

" Ani, I need to talk to you. Mon and Bail have assigned me a very important mission, and I have to leave tomorrow. It's a solo mission, but I can handle it. You are probably worried - ". She stopped when she noticed that Anakin wasn't meeting her eyes.

" Padmé." he muttered quietly. He voice was full of worry and apprehension. " You need to drop out of the mission. You are too important to me for you to get yourself killed."

Padmé let out a frustrated huff. He was treating her like a child. He knew firsthand that she was perfectly fit to fight. Besides, it wasn't as if she had not been asked to spy before.

" Anakin, I can do this. I have been training for months, plus I am very good at concealing my intentions. I even beat you in combat," she countered.

Anakin put a hand up.

" Padmé, you don't know the Empire like I do. If you are discovered, your death will be excruciating. As your husband, I can't allow you to risk your wellbeing. Sure, you beat me, but I was tired from boating and I was going easy on you." Padmé was sporting angry red flush at this point. She could barely control her anger.

" As your husband? Since when did you make my decisions for me? What happened to me protecting you for once? You know what, I don't care. I'm going anyways, see you in the morning." Padmé stormed off, leaving Anakin utterly stunned.

"Wow, Skyguy. You really are a dumbass." said a voice in the corner. Ahsoka was leaning against the cold metal wall. Anakin looked at her confused. " Come on dude. She was really nervous about that mission, and she wanted your support. And you basically just told her that you have zero faith in her."

After processing what she said, Anakin wanted to smack his head against the wall, which is exactly what he did. He really did mess this one up. He needed to find a way to fix this. He decided to thoroughly apologize in the morning, he began to feel the effects of a long day. When he returned to his room, he collapsed on his bed where he fell into a fitful sleep.

Anakin was awoken by a pounding on his door. Groggily, he rubbed his eyes and opened the door, and was greeted by the bearded face of Obi wan.

"Anakin, where have you been? We were supposed to leave on our supply run an hour ago."

Confused, Anakin checked the chrono next to his bed. Horrified, it dawned on him that he had neglected to set an alarm. Which also meant that he had missed Padmé's departure. He hadn't gotten a chance to reconcile with her, and now she would be gone for an undetermined amount of time. Sighing, he hastily donned his old Jedi robes, retrieved his lightsaber, and made his way to the docking bay. .


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys. So Padmé's arc of off and running. I haven't decided if I want to go on a short three week hiatus just to catch up on my writing. If you have any further questions PM me and always review. Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, I just wish I did.**

 **CHAPTER 11**

The Emperor was furious, his personal assistant lay dead at his feet. She had just informed him that his underlings had failed to contact Lord Vader again. It had been weeks since he heard from his faithful apprentice. After graciously rewarding him with a week's furlough, Vader had seemingly vanished. No matter how hard he tried he could not sense Vader's force signature anywhere.

No doubt it had something to do with that insufferable Padmé. He should have dealt with her as soon as Vader submitted to him, but then his apprentice would have never forgiven him. He was always so attached to her, which in turn prevented him from becoming fully emerged in the Dark Side. Paranoia swept through the Sith's mind, _what if he had been betrayed? Surely, Vader's weak flower of a woman hadn't persuaded him to forsake his teachings?_ A new wave of fury arose within the malicious, old cobra. Whatever happened, Vader would pay dearly for it.

Padmé was gazing at herself in the fresher. She didn't look anything like herself. Apparently Neira Jason had blonde hair, grey eyes, and wore the dull colors of an Imperial standard uniform.

They had just entered Medea's atmosphere, the captain informed her. When the transport landed, she stepped of the catwalk and admired the beautiful city of Argo. The entire city shimmered with a crystalline light reminiscent of Christophsis. The morning sun tinted all the buildings a rusty orange. She wrapped the traditional Medean shawl around her head to cover her hair. She stopped at a traditional Medean cafe to try some bitter Medean caf. Then, she made her way to the Rebel informant's flat. The building was white with deep blue tiles adorning the doorway and rooftop.

As she waited outside, she marveled at the peculiar blend of ancient architecture and modern technology. Coruscant was ever changing, it seemed to always have some new technological advancement. This place seemed to utilize technology but still retained its culture. She was thrown out of her daydream when a lime green skinned woman in a purple hijab answered the door. Her eyes were a mix of every color, and a beautiful golden necklace hung around her neck. She appeared to be a native Medean, which meant that under he hijab was a stunning array of bright feathers in place of hair.

" You must be Neira, I'm Lani Iliad. I'm Mistia's roommate. I assume you are staying with us. Here let me help you with you bag." She had a cheerful disposition to her. Padmé was beginning to think she would enjoy this job. Lani led her to their flat. After showing Padmé a cozy bedroom that was meant to be her accommodation, she retreated to the kitchen.

" Mistia should be home soon, she's usually here by now. I don't know what's holding her up." There was a sharp rap on the door and a pale skinned woman with hazel, almond shaped eyes steeped through the door.

" Hi, I'm Mistia." She said offering her hand. " Sorry I wasn't there to greet you. I was just picking up some Honi root. I wanted to make some Honi tea."

Upon further inspection, Mistia had her hair up in a tight bun secured by a ruby pin. She wore a simple sleeveless red dress. After setting down the groceries, she proceeded to help Lani make the tea. After several minutes, Lani came out with a tray with three cups of tea. Padmé soon learned that Honi tea was simply hot water that was sucked through a hollow Honi root like a straw. The tea was very sweet and sugary.

Mistia suddenly had a sort of mischievous gleam to her eyes as she took a big sip of her tea , then fired the contents out of her straw and into Lani. Obviously, Lani retaliated, but she managed to get some on Padmé. Soon, the girls were engaged in an all out war.

The blaring sound of an alarm awoke Padmé. Groping around her nightstand in vain, she finally managed to shut it off before stumbling into the refresher. Ugh, today was the first day at her new assignment. She was not looking forward to spending her time with arrogant, misogynist Imperials. At least she had Lani and Mistia to work with, but she doubted that she would see them often. It seemed that most nonhumans or females hardly received any high class jobs in the Empire.

Adjusting her wig and smoothing her uniform she prepared herself for what would probably be the worst job ever.

The ride to the Imperial center was long and arduous, but it gave her time to socialize with her new roommates. As Padmé had expected, Lani was simply a cleaning lady. Mistia, much to her surprise, had made it all the way to Lieutenant.

The speeder ground to halt in front of a dull grey building equipped with numerous satellite dishes. Squadrons of storm troopers paced around the building. It was a very intimidating sight. Mistia gave her a reassuring look as they made their way through the thick blast doors into the base. It was very sterile and quiet, nothing about this base seemed extremely unique. That was before Padmé passed columns of datachips, everything the Empire had ever done or is planning to do, and a humongous computer twice her height. In fact, she was so taken aback she ran straight into an Imperial officer. He glared at her with an air of superiority.

"I assume you are the new captain." he said haughtily.

" Captain Neira Jason at your service, sir. " Padmé felt a spark of anger when the officer refused to shake her hand, and made eye contact with her. Was she seriously expected to put up with this rudeness everyday? Sighing to herself, it was going to be a long day.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys. Sorry for the late update, my weekend was super busy. Hope you enjoy this new chapter. I encountered a slight bout of writers block, so chapters in the future might be a little late. Don't worry I'm not going up on this story. If you have any questions PM me. As always review. - Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 12**

On the other side of the Galaxy, Anakin Skywalker stared listlessly out into space. The supply run was short and uneventful, he had nothing to do. There were no Imperials or pirates. Not even a space slug had crossed their path. All he could think about was Padmé. He had royally messed up. He couldn't believe that he let his wife think that he believed her useless. Of course she could, they had embarked on many missions together during the Clone Wars. He had simply wanted to protect her and it blew up in his face. He was miserable. Suddenly, Anakin felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Anakin, moping about it won't change anything," advised Obi wan. "The best thing you can do is apologize to her as soon as you see her."

Sighing, he went to the cabin to practice his mediation. Not twenty minutes in, and their transport listed to the side. Anakin burst out of the cabin, arms grasping the various pipes lining the sides of their ship. He made his way to the cockpit and pressed assorted buttons.

"It's no use Anakin. The hyperdrive has been compromised, and our engine is faulty," Obi wan said as he began to pilot the ship towards a nearby planet. "We'll have to land and find someplace to make repairs."

Anakin halted when he reached the end of the catwalk. Horrified, he realized where they had landed. Kessel. Domain of the Pykes, a criminal empire that specialized in spice. Spice was a highly addictive drug that few people have ever fully sobered from. It clouded the mind, and after awhile, it reduced a person to a raving lunatic. This planet was the exact place Anakin despised. Full of slavers and the like, basically everything wrong with the Galaxy condensed into one planet.

"Of all the places we could have landed, we had to land here," muttered Obi wan.

Anakin nodded in agreement and pulled his cloak around him. They wandered the streets for what seemed like hours until they came upon a seemingly decent hotel. The hostess cast them a weary look as she gave them their room. The place stank of spice. The bed had stuffing popping out of some places and strange stains everywhere. Sighing, Anakin volunteered to be the one to sleep on the moldy chair next to the bed. Reluctantly the two Jedi both fell into an uneventful rest.

After she had made sure that the two Jedi were gone, the hostess immediately contacted the Pykes. Like many people on Kessel, she believed Jedi prevented her from running her business. They had to be taken care of. The Pykes would know what to do. Hopefully, these Jedi would be out of her hair for good.

Ahsoka paced around her room. She had no idea what to do. She had been trying to avoid Lux all day, but her new assignment had now made that impossible. She was supposed to spend every waking hour formulating an attack plan on a certain space station. And guess who was also assigned to said project. Lux. She hadn't seen him in a long time. No doubt he resented her for cutting off all communication with him.

He was one of her closest friends, which wasn't saying much since she had a grand total of 5 ( technically 4) friends. Plus, she could barely say hello to him without stuttering. Ahsoka was unsure what that meant. Usually, she was friendly and confident around most people. Maybe it was her Jedi training that was preventing her from talking to him. After all, she wasn't supposed to have any attachments, yet she had forged a strong bond with Bonteri. Her training had never deterred her from socializing before, and she hadn't been a Jedi for years.

She jumped when she her a sharp knock on the door. Ahsoka opened the door, and Lux stepped in holding a tray laden with plates of food. The smell filled her room with an appetizing aroma. Unbeknownst to Ahsoka, a blush had spread across her orange cheeks.

Gathering her inner strength, she asked, " Lux what are you doing here? I thought you were working on the project."

He proceeded to sit on her bed and began to lay a worn tablecloth over her bed.

" Well, I was working on the project, but then I heard that you hadn't eaten dinner," he responded. "So I thought I would bring something up food so we could work on it together."

Ahsoka was about to politely decline, but a rumble from her stomach betrayed her. Realizing how hungry she actually was, she nervously began to stuff her face full of food. When she shifted around on the bed, she accidentally spilled a bowl of soup on her Jedi attire. Cursing she sprinted to the bathroom and emerged in her baggy, rumpled pajamas. She could tell that Lux was trying to stifle a laugh. Ahsoka glared daggers at him as she ate her shura fruit ice cream. Surprisingly, she noticed Lux also had a plate overflowing with ice cream.

" I didn't know you liked shura fruit ice cream," Ahsoka said.

" Yeah, my mother used to make it when I was sick," replied Lux. " One time she even made me an entire tub full. It was probably twice the size of me."

Lux leaned over to retrieve a glass of bantha milk, and the bowl of ice cream tipped over onto his pristine, neat pants. Now it was Aksoka's turn to a brief exchange of playful banter the conversation turned serious.

"So what prompted you to join the Rebellion? " inquired Ahsoka. Lux pondered this for a moment.

"Well, I guess it was the next logical step after the Clone Wars ended. It's always been my dream to create a government free of corruption. I joined the Rebellion because it thought it would be like the rebellion in Onderon." At this point, a look of longing and sadness crossed Lux's face. " It was one of the only times I felt I had a family after what happened to my mother."

Then, Ahsoka did something that surprised both her and Lux. She leaned forward and embraced him. At first Lux was hesitant, but then he relaxed into the hug. The two sat there for what seemed to be an eternity before going their separate ways.


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry for the late update, I was on vacation. I promise that it won't happen again. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. As always feel free to PM me at anytime and please review. - Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 13**

Padmé groaned. It had been a week since she was assigned to the Imperial base on Medeani, and she was no closer to retrieving the files. The library, she found was harder to enter than she once believed. Every entrance was guarded by a squadron of troopers, and every square inch of the area was monitored by high def cameras. Not to mention the extremely intricate firewall preventing anyone from downloading anything from the station's computer.

Cold water splashed on her brought her out of her thoughts. After applying her disguise, she prepared herself for another dull day as the communications head. All she did was supervise the transmissions sent to and from the station. Apparently, the higher ups did not trust her with anything else. Sure it gave her more free time to formulate a plan, but it irked her to be given such useless tasks. If she was a man, surely she would have been given more urgent assignments.

She lounged in her cushioned chair and tried to keep her mind from thinking of Anakin. He words still stung and one of her goals this mission was to prove that she was capable of anything. The familiar form of Lani entered her office under the pretense of emptying the garbage. Something she had already done five times today. Lani was very helpful with banishing her boredom. She also had intel from many of the officer's offices. Not many people around here seemed to think that Lani was on the same level of intelligence as they were.

In actuality, During the Clone Wars, Lani earned a degree in rocketry, but it was revoked when she refused to design more powerful rockets for the Imperial cruisers. Now, Lani was relegated to picking up after others with half of her IQ. It saddened to think that this blatant sexism still existed in the Galaxy.

Padmé looked up and saw that Lani was smirking. This could only mean one of two things. One she heard some embarrassing gossip about one of the officers, or two, she pranked an officer. Padmé couldn't tell which one was the better of the two. At least the former wouldn't get her fired, but knowing Lani it was probably the latter.

Sighing Padmé asked, " What did you do this time, Lani ?"

" I, well, I heard Lieutenant Jenkins calling my a useless parrot."

Padmé felt a surge of anger. Lieutenant Jenkins had been the arrogant officer whom Padmé had first met. It took her two seconds to realize he was a class A nerfherder. How dare he say something so derogatory to Lani. Normally, she would try to console Lani, but something told her Lani had already handled it.

" So, what did you do to get back at him?" she asked. Padmé didn't know if she wanted to here that answer.

"I filled his room with parrots," replied Lani nonchalantly. " Don't worry, I made sure they can't trace it back to me."

"Also, after Jenkins had left his office screaming bloody murder, I took the time to go through his stuff."

Lani reached into her pocket a withdrew a holodisk. Grinning, " I guess Jenkins is some type of architect because this is the plans for the entire base." Padmé was elated and she hadn't even heard the best part. "Including the computer room."

Immediately, Padmé had to cover her mouth to keep from shouting in joy. If she could infiltrate the computer room tonight, then she would never have to see this awful place again. The only thing she would miss was spending time with Lani and Mistia. On the brightside, the information she would give the Alliance could in fact lead to the end of this crisis. Padmé didn't allow herself to think of what would happen after the war. She didn't want to gain false hope, but maybe she could be reunited with them. Padmé stuffed the holodisk into her pocket and gave a curt nod to Larni. If any Imperials were walking by, they would most likely assume that Padmé was giving commands to Lani.

For good measure, Lani added," Yes, Captain Neira."

After Lani had left to snoop around in some other Imperial's room, Mistia came bursting through the door. She wore a broad smile, Padmé figured Lani had told her the good news. Mistia was about to rush over and ask Padmé to see the disk, but she stopped herself. Forcing herself to straighten her posture, Mistia stared at her with a cold, wooden look. She was discreetly chec"king for any bugs or oncoming officers. After it was confirmed the coast was clear, Mistia cautiously made her way to Padmé's desk. Placing a thin hand on Padmé's chair, she leaned over to marvel at the plans.

Now that we have the layout, we need to find an efficient route to the computer room. " declared Padmé .

" Maybe we could use this old service corridor." Said Mistia, tracing her finger along a narrow path that skirted the back of the computer room. " it's only supposed to be for maintenance, but I bet Lani could get us clearance. "

Padmé agreed and it was decided to use that path as their way of entry and exit.

"Oh, I almost forgot. While Lani was busy smuggling parrots into Jenkin's room I did some investigating my self. According to Marvin, the software technician, the computer with the access to the holodisks had very extreme security protocol. It's protected by seven firewalls. And if we were to hack the computer, we would have to do one firewall per day because if an unauthorized user attempts to break all the firewalls at once, The security force is immediately alerted. You are then convicted of treason and sent to the spice mines of Kessel." Both women grimaced at the thought. Mistia and Padmé spent the next hours of their workday strategizing and creating a foolproof plan.


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry for the delay. My family was over for Mother's Day and I was a bit preoccupied. I might be a little late with the next update though. Hope you enjoy this next chapter. - Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 14**

Anakin woke up dazed, his vision was blurry and his memory foggy. He rubbed his temples, and went to the fresher. Anakin barely recognized himself. His hair was even more unkempt than normal, his eyes were bloodshot and rimmed red. He had several days worth of beard growth, which was odd since they only intended to stay here one day.

Anakin splashed icy water on his face in an attempt to rid himself of the layer of grime he had accumulated. It was then that he noticed the water he had used to dye his face was red hued. Every exposed part of his body seemed to be dusted in this powdery, blood colored substance. Then, Anakin rubbed his head. Why exactly was he in the bathroom? He was looking at something, right? It took him several minutes to remember his train of thought. Something was causing him to become confused. He could barely form a relevant thought. Then something in the back of his mind clicked. Spice. It had to be spice. The weird powder, his bloodshot eyes, and his lack of congruent thought, it all fit together.

Obi wan was dozing off in bed when Anakin burst out of the bathroom like a rocket. Frantically, he began opening the grimy, minuscule window and desperately trying to circulate air into the room. Obi wan groaned, covering his head with the pillow. He felt like he had been run over by a battalion of stormtroopers. He was forced to sit up when he heard the tearing of fabric. Anakin seemed to be creating bandanas from the coarse bed spread.

"Anakin, what is all the fuss about?" Obi wan asked groggily.

" Spice , Master, they are using spice to incapacitate us," replied a wide eyed Anakin. Realization overcame Obi wan. Of course, the entire planet was infamous for the drug. How had he allowed himself to be deceived so easily?

" The Pykes must have learned of our unwanted delay here. We have to leave now. The situation can only escalate from here? " urged Obi wan. The pair retrieved their lightsabers and tied the makeshift masks around their mouths and noses.

Anakin hesitantly placed his hand on the doorknob. Having discovered that it was locked, Anakin manipulated the Force to unlock the door. He was waiting for Obi wan's command . Both men had no idea what awaited them outside their room. Just as Anakin was about to open the door, a droid pushing a cart laden with cleaning supplies entered their room.

" Hello patrons of room 216. I am your housekeeping droid" said the droid in its mechanized voice. "It seems you hae not recieved your complimentary supplement this morning." The droid reached into the deep recesses of the cart and pulled out an odd device shaped like a lotus. " Do not worry. By order of the Pykes, you are to receive your daily supplement to make your stay here as comfortable as possible."

The droid used one of its claw hands to press a button at he bottom of the lotus. The lotus began to excrete plumes of orange Spice into the air. The droid moved closer to the Jedi, holding the lotus inches from their faces. Obi wan inhaled a large amount before Anakin managed to decapitate the droid.

Grabbing Obi wan's hand roughly, Anakin sprinted out of the room. As the duo made their way down to winding corridors, they were met with a barrage of blaster bolts from concealed crevices within the walls. Anakin force pushed the treacherous hostess into her desk when she retrieved a blaster from a cabinet.

Anakin tried to take a less direct route to their ship. No doubt the Pykes had sent their droids and bounty hunters after them. With Obi wan's current state, they could not afford such a confrontation. The person in question was babbling about the meaning of life and the many different uses of a spoon. Anakin pulled Obi wan behind him as they rounded a corner and dashed to the transport. Hopefully the mechanic was an honest sort, though Anakin highly doubted it, and had fixed the hyperdrive. The ship shuddered to life as a volley of blaster fire hit the ship. Anakin threw Obi wan into the co pilot seat and left Kessel in the dust.


	15. Chapter 15

**I am so sorry that I haven't updated lately. It's been a pretty crazy couple of months. I'm trying to get back to a normal schedule. I will probably update this story next Monday. Thanks for all of your support, and I promise I won't abandon this story. Have a great summer.-Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 15**

Padmé paced anxiously around the apartment. Tonight was the third night she broke into the Imperial data banks, but it was still nerve wracking. She wore a blank expression, and she stared at the individual patterns etched into the tile floor. Then she felt someone grab her shoulders roughly, spin her around, and shove a warm cup of Honi tea into her hands.

"Relax, Padmé, by now we're pros at this. There's no need to worry about this, " Lani reassured. "We'll be fine. There's never been any problem before, and there won't be this time. I don't want you freaking out."

Padmé smiled. She and Lani had grown very close over the past few days. The Honi tea's fragrant steam seemed to reduce her stress slightly.

" Besides," teased Lani with a mischievous grin. " I don't want you to scuff up our floors."

Padmé nodded her head and bolstered her confidence. Several minutes later, she was sitting patiently on their chaise lounge awaiting Mistia. _She always seems to be late_ , thought Padmé. _I wonder what she's doing._ A loud bang was heard when Mistia barreled through the the door.

"Come on slowpokes!" grinned Mistia. "Let's go."

Lani raced past Padmé. " Last one there's a rotten egg," shouted Lani. All three girls began the long trek to the base.

Once there, Mistia and Padmé huddled behind a nearby bush while Lani convinced the janitor that it was her turn for the night shift. After acquiring the clearance, Lani pretended to fetch another mop from the cleaning closet, leaving the entrance open unwittingly. Stealthily, the other women entered the base. Mistia deftly rewired the security systems, giving them five minutes to impersonate a pair of stormtroopers sent to relieve the guards of their shift.

The Bronze Bulls, as the stormtrooper watchmen were called, were notorious around the base for being trigger happy and a little battle crazed. They were totally serious. If you said the slightest offhanded comment, you would probably find yourself nursing a few bruises. Luckily for the band of Rebels, they were highly obedient and combat trained, they were lacking in the intellect department.

As the girls rounded the corner, several blaster shots rang out, singeing the sides of Lani's hijab. Mistia cleared her throat and called forth an air of discipline and strength. Marching towards the Bronze Bulls, she spoke in a clear, commanding tone, "Troopers, we are here to relieve you of your posts. Please stand aside."

The trooper on the left shook his head, causing the helmet to make a slight rattling sound. " Negative, we have just recently been assigned this shift. We can not desert our posts until our time slot is completed."

" Yes, but the higher ups did some last minute schedule changes," responded Mistia. "You have been given leave for the night, unless you would like to take it up with the officers."

Mistia had planned it perfectly. It was against their training to directly question a superior's order. Therefore, the guards had no other choice than to leave. The two men nodded to the women and marched towards down the opposite hallway.

As soon as their heavy footfall was not heard, Lani made quick work of the control panel sealing the door. While she was mainly a rocket scientist, Lani had dabbled in circuitry too. The obsidian door opened to reveal shelves upon shelves of data disks and one massive computer. It towered over all of them, its dimly glowing screen the only thing illuminating the musty database.

Mistia yanked off her helmet and breathed a sigh of relief. Padmé reached into one of her pockets a whipped out a metallic gold datadisk. Padmé approached the computer with apprehension. Though this was the third time she was doing this, she wasn't perfect. Padmé tentatively hooked up the golden datadisk to the computer.

The team had successfully taken down two of the seven firewalls, but each firewall had a different passcode and input system. The first one had been binary code. The second had been an answer to a riddle. This time, it seemed to be a single name or phrase. Which meant that Padmé did not have the slightest idea what the passcode was. Padmé also noticed, in fine print under the passcode bar, a sentence dictating that a user could only try the passcode four times before an alarm was set off. Well, that didn't put Padmé under unwanted stress at all.

Frantically, she typed in the word Emperor Palpatine. No luck. Lani suggested the name of a high ranking officer, since most of them were egomaniacs. The screen flashed red indicating a false password. Maybe it was something inconspicuous, like the name of the mountain the base was situated on. Nope. Padmé called to Mistia, who seemed to be distracted by one of the many datadisks. Mistia strode over, her face twisted in concentration, desperately trying to recall any useful information.

"I'm not in any of the officers' enclaves, but I have heard some chatter. Try Rita Argo. She was the first wife of General Tarkin, I believe." Hesitantly, Padmé began to type in Rita's name. This was their last shot, Padmé had to put all her trust in Mistia. She was nervous, but she knew Mistia would never let her down.

Miraculously, the passcode was correct, and they were able to download the files. _Just three more days of this,_ she thought, _three more days until I leave this awful place._ And Lani and Mistia. She cast a wistful glance at her accomplices. One day, she promised to return here. When all was well, and the galaxy was at peace. She contemplated this thought as she left the station with her comrades. None of them noticed a small video camera, snap several incriminating photos of them.


	16. Chapter 16

**I'm really really really sorry for the late update. Again. I promise for real this time that I will get on a schedule. I hope you like this chapter. Oh, and I'm working on this idea for an 80s AU of Star Wars. I'll probably start it when I end this fic.- Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 16**

Ahsoka was exhausted. Days of working nonstop on the Death Star attack plan were wearing her out. Ahsoka had to deal with the fact that the Rebellion had very little information about it, aside from its location. She didn't even know if it was capable of being destroyed. Everything she was doing was completely theoretical. Ahsoka was sprawled on her bed, papers littering the space around her, trying to calculate the maximum number of TIE fighters a station of those proportions could accommodate.

She was halfway through the her computation of the density of the space station when something in her shut down. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, or maybe it was the lack of nutrients. Her brain suddenly stopped working. Ahsoka couldn't take this anymore. What she would give to be up in the stars with Skyguy. Hastily shrugging on a thin sweater, she left her room. Hopefully, her little expedition would clear her mind, and sharpen her strategic skills.

She rounded the corner from her room thoroughly annoyed. She had narrowly evaded seven people looking for a conversation. Then, Sherman from IT told her hello. Then, Ahsoka lost it. Poor Sherman got an earful of the hardships of devising a last minute plan for a station the size of a moon. Extremely disgruntled, she wondered what aspect of her screamed 'I want to talk'. She had dark circles under her eyes, raggedy clothes, and an expression that would make a full grown nexu cry in terror. Ahsoka was, in simple terms, completely done with everyone.

She ducked into a secluded doorway and pressed her back against the cool door. She could hear the faint tinkling of a fountain behind it. Curious, she cautiously opened it, stepping into what seemed to be an oasis. Vines snaked the walls, and flowers wreathed the ceiling. The floor was blanketed with mist. Some of it had condensed onto her forehead. A beautiful, metallic fountain was filled with a crystal blue water. An arbor had blossoming flowers dangling from dark green ivy. Bushes full of pink and purple buds circled the room. A intricate bench was nestled between two bushy trees, providing shade.

Ahsoka eagerly nestled herself into the serene alcove. Ahsoka sat there listening to the fountain's quiet gurgles. She closed her eyes and released her consciousness into the force. It sang with the gentle light pf the twins. It was quite refreshing. She had become very fond of her Master's infants. Their innocence was one that had been missing from the galaxy. Looking at them, it gave her hope for the future of thus universe.

The sound of slight snoring awoke Ahsoka. Adjacent to her was Lux, his eyes closed, head slumped on his shoulders. He looked so peaceful, different from his usual serious self. She smiled to herself. Then, Lux did the unexpected. He rolled onto Ahsoka, head resting on her lap.

Ahsoka had three options. Option 1, wake up Lux, but that one would probably annoy him. She didn't want to spend all day with a cranky Lux. Option 2, she could roll with it and just let him sleep. She decided against that one when she felt Lux's drool seep through her leggings. Option 3 was by far the best one, she would use the Force to lift Lux's head. Then she would stealthily run away. Hopefully, Lux would have no memory of the incident and she would get off scot free.

Ignoring the growing patch of drool on her thigh, she gently levitated his head several inches in the air. Lux groaned and shifted in his slumber. Silently, Ahsoka crept towards the doorway, ever so slightly inching away from Lux. Lux's hair was bedraggled on one side, standing straight up. He had a cowlick on his left forehead. Ahsoka, stared at him, mesmerized by his long lashes, and boyish face. Her boot snagged in a vine, and she was sent toppling into the bushes. As a result, Lux's head slammed onto the bench.

Immediately, Lux's eyes shot open, his head sporting a big purple bump. " Ow," he groaned. " Why'd you do that?"

Blushing profusely, Ahsoka meekly stood up, wringing her ochre hands. " I ,well , you, um, kinda fell asleep on me. I had no choice," she said awkwardly.

"Oh, sorry about that." He attempted to stand but instead clutched his throbbing head. 3

Ahsoka rushed over to his side. Lux removed his hand from his injury and found scarlet blood puddling on his palm. Ahsoka winced at the sight. Suddenly, she placed her warm hands on his head.

Puzzled, Lux asked, " Ahsoka, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to heal you. I don't know if this will work or not, but you'll have to trust me."

Reluctantly, Lux complied, relaxing into her hands. Ahsoka opened herself to the Force once more, sending calming waves towards Lux. He radiated pain as well as a deep set concern for something. She focused on his presence filling him with her light. She felt his concern wash over her again, this time more solid and clear. Ahsoka was shocked to see the blurred image of a woman with a head cover Lux's mind. Still, she pushed forward focusing on his pain. She gave him comfort and healing.

Slowly but surely, she felt the wound begin to close up. She removed her hands, and grinned at Lux. "All fixed."

She had elected not to tell Lux what she saw. She was still unsure about what that meant and decided to sleep on it. Lux reached out towards her and brushed away a vine tangled in one of her montrals. Ahsoka felt tingles arch up her montral. She felt as if she was filled with air. Lux began to walk towards the door.

" Thanks for healing me. I have to go, but do you want to meet me here tomorrow? "

On an impulse, she nodded and Lux left her to sit on the bench, contemplating on her discovery.

As the entrance to the botanical gardens, Lux sighed. He didn't want to lead Ahsoka on. Lux was only interested in a compleltely platonic friendship with her. He had missed Ahsoka, but he wasn't looking for a relationship. He smacked his hand against his forehead. Why, why did he have to ask to see her tomorrow.

He guessed that it was due to the fact that his only other companion was an enemy of the Old Republic. The late night trips to the mess hall and the strain of constantly lying to his superiors was getting to him. He was mortified that he slipped up and passed out on her. He checked the time, and groaned, Barriss was most likely waiting for dinner. Hopefully, he could get a nice, warm cup of caf at the kitchen.

 **Okay. Okay. You got me. I originally shipped Ahsoka and Lux, but then things changed. So yeah in the context of this story that ship is totally a none thing now. I'm sure some of you will be able to tell where this is heading. I feel bad making Ahsoka the Bolin (kinda) of this situation, but it had to be done. for those of you who watched Legend of Korra, you can probably tell what's going to happen next. No spoilers. Oh, and when this story ends Lux is still going to be single. Hint hint.-Kiera**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry for not updating last week. I'm trying to put myself on a schedule again. AHHHHH, school starts up again in a week and I'm kinda stressing out. Anyway, I tried not to make it so cliche, but it probably is. Oh and if anyone gets the Mean Girls quote, you are awesome.-Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 17**

Everyone in the Rebel stronghold seemed to notice Ahsoka's change in demeanor. She walked with an extra spring in her step, a blinding smile graced her face, and her eyes shone with joy. She was cheerful, light, and she radiated romance. She couldn't get over her conversation with Lux last night. He wanted to see her. Her. With her limited knowledge of relationships, Ahsoka read between the lines. Falling asleep on her, having dinner in her room with her, asking to see her tonight. It all lead to one thing, Lux had a crush on her. Her cheeks warmed with a blush, the burnt orange deepening into a light tan.

Heading over to the kitchen she whipped up, to the best of her ability, a cake. The cake itself was a little charred, the icing was watery and dripped off the plate, and the messy writing was almost illegible. After placing the cake in the fridge, she rushed to the botanical gardens. The Alderaanian lilys were in full bloom, their creamy white buds dotted with hints of pale pink. Inhaling their sweet fragrance she selected the most resplendent florets. She bundled them together into a splendiferous bouquet, tying it with a silky, red ribbon.

She decamped to her quarters to give herself a makeover. Ahsoka spent an hour trying on various scrubs, face masks, and body washes. She enveloped herself in a mountain of bubbles and soaked her dry skin in a bath of milk. After Ahsoka was satisfied with the state of her skin, she powdered her face with a light blush. Her eyelashes were dipped in mascara, her lips painted a sultry red. Ahsoka squeezed herself into the only dress she owned. It was a deep blue spaghetti strap dress that clung to her waist and flare out at the hips. It had caught her eye when she was first living on Shili. Ahsoka had brought it along in case she needed it for some reconaiisance mission. That's what she told herself, secretly she had come to enjoy the way it made her feel pretty.

Retrieving the cake and flowers, she made her way to Lux's room. The door was slightly ajar, and she slipped through the crack to see her former best friend nibbling a slice of toast. Barriss Offee was casually eating breakfast, as if she hadn't bombed half the temple and framed Ahsoka. Once Ahsoka overcame the initial shock, she did what any normal person would do in the presence of a terrorist. She dropped everything and decked Barriss. Barriss gave a weak squeak of surprise. Fat, wet tears pooled in Ahsoka's eyes and spilled over her chin, dripping onto Bariss's shawl. Her heart felt like it was in her stomach.

Then, the door creaked open and in came Lux carrying a silver platter of tea cups. Setting the tea and crumpets on the settee, he seperated the distraught girls from each other. Ahsoka immediately retaliated by clocking him in the nose.

"So this is what you've been doing! Harboring a criminal!"

Lux took a deep breath and gently explained his reasoning. "A few months before I joined the Rebellion, Barriss appeared at my apartment. She had just escaped an Imperial prison colony. She said that she had learned that violence wasn't the way to create change. Ahsoka, she's changed, she isn't the same person that bombed the Temple. When I joined the Rebels, I snuck her aboard and she's been helping me ever since."

That only served to infuriate Ahsoka more. "Come on Lux, you can't be this naive! She betrayed me! She betrayed the Republic! You know, I really thought there was something between us, but clearly I was wrong!"

She threw the mangled bouquet at him. "Here, you can take your stupid flowers!"

She brushed past Barriss and stormed off. A worried expression crossed Lux's face as he turned heel towers the door, but Barriss placed a comforting hand in his shoulder.

"It's me she's really mad at," Barriss shook her head. "And I'm pretty sure I deserve it too."

Barriss scanned for Ahsoka's presence in the Force. As she predicted, it was a swirling maelstrom of disbelief, betrayal, and sadness. The poor girl had just experienced her first rejection. She may not be an expert on love, but she had heard some stories from fellow inmates. Through the Force, she could sense the residue of Ahsoka's presence in the hallway. She followed the wisps like someone would follow the scent of their favorite food. The little tendrils nestled at her feet, encircling her legs. They led her to the starfighter hanger, rows upon rows of gleaming X-wings greeted Barriss. Muffled weeping came from behind some micellaneus engine parts.

She found Ahsoka curled into a ball, engine grease and tears staining her lovely gown. Cautiously, Barriss seated herself next to Ahsoka, and tentatively put an arm around the distressed Togruta. Ashoka just brushed her arm away with a trembling hand.

"Go away," muttered Ahsoka.

Barriss instead scooted closer to her until their shoulders were pressed together. " I know I've done terrible, and I'm not going to make excuses or pretend what I did never happened. I came to realize that, back then, I had never really understood the concept of friendship. I had never really formed an attachment before I met you. I took our bond for granted and I used it for my own gain. What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry, for everything. What I did was awful and I deserved every second I spent incarcerated. Ahsoka, I know that you probably never want to see my face again, but the thing is I spent two years without a single real friend. I will never ever be able to recreate the bond that we share. I hate myself for my actions, especially hurting you. Please, I know that this will probably take time, so I'll leave you alone. I just hope that maybe, just maybe, we could be friends again. I missed you, I missed being with you. I'm sorry, Ahsoka." She had risen to her feet when a hand clasped around her wrist.

" Wait," Ahsoka whispered. "You're right, it will take some time for me to fully forgive you, but I miss our friendship too. For now, um, can you just stay with me?"

Barriss blushed, " Of course."

Ahsoka rested her montrals on her shoulders. "Did Lux ever, you know, like me?"

Barriss sighed," Oh Ahsoka."

Ahsoka moved her head into Barriss's stomach. In return, Barris wrapped her slender arms around Ahsoka's wilted form. The two stayed there until long after curfew, comforting each other.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi guys. Yeah I have been kinda bad at sticking to my schedule. High school is a lot harder than one would think. Okay so after this arc and Padme's arc wrap up were going to jump right into the final showdown. By my estimate, there'll be about 5-7 more chapters left. After this story ends or at least towards the end, I'll probably begin publishing my 80s Star Wars high school au ( that's a mouthful). It's inspired by this wonderful art by DenisM79 from Deviantart. -Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 18**

Anakin sat in a cramped, dilapidated cell. Somehow, someway trouble always followed him. That's how he ended up here, in a hold of a notorious pirate. The aforementioned brigand was a rare alien life form, born with a single eye at the center of his head. Not much of a strategist, he preferred brute strength. The pirate went by the title of The Cyclops. His favorite pastime, other than terrorizing helpless merchants, was eating. The rumor was that when he ran out of regular food, he would resort to devouring his prisoners. Anakin hoped that The Cyclops had a full breakfast because he refused to be eaten. Anakin grimaced at the thought of being anywhere near that ogre's rotten teeth. If that no good sleemo tried to devour him, let's just say he learned a few tricks during his time as Vader. He could think of some nasty ways of death. Why is would be so easy just to rip out that pirate's eye and. No, he's not that person anymore. He's better now, whole. But, that didnt mean the sadistic side of him wouldn't take a small bit of pleasure tearing the Cyclops' vocal chords out. For a moment, he felt his eyes flash a warm amber.

He wouldn't even be in this mess if that mechanic on Kessel actually did his job. Come to think of it, he wouldn't mind ripping his vocal chords out either. He and Obi wan had a nasty surprise when they realized the "mechanic" had swapped their valuable hyperdrive with a dingy older model. And of course, they just had to drop out of hyperspace into the clutches of The Cyclops' fleet. Why couldn't he at least have some pretense of good fortune? Now, Anakin was confined to a cell the size of a refresher, awaiting his chance to be a delicious entree in the captain's meal.

"Anakin," he heard someone whisper. " Anakin, wake up."

Grumpily he pressed his ear to the side of the wall where the voice came from. "Obi wan?"

"No, it's Padmé." Obi wan replied sarcastically. " Look I have a plan to get us out of here."

Anakin scooted closer and projected a force bubble over them. That way, no one could eavesdrop on their conversation. After several alterations, the duo had finally agreed on a plan of escape. Obi wan would distract the guard while Anakin used the force to disable their cell door locks. Then, Anakin would hack into the ship's com station and tell the crew to report to the opposite end of the ship. With Obi wan as lookout, they would commandeer an new transport and leave this awful hell. In theory, they would be able to escape with relative ease, but Anakin had a knack for turning the simplest of missions into disasters. As the time for their departure neared, Obi wan clutched his stomach, convulsing.

"What's wrong with you?" he demanded.

Obi wan moaned and sank lower to the floor.

"I think he's sick, sir." Anakin replied innocently.

" Well, I can't let the captain's meal get spoiled." As predicted, the guard entered his cell, having no clue as to how he should solve this predicament. Obi wan was laying it on thick. See, the key is to lick your palms. When you're rolling around in pain, you bend over and lick your palms. He knew it sounded stupid, but then again so was this situation.

With the guard preoccupied, Anakin reached out with the force and unlocked their cells. Anakin then sent a small force pulse through his connection with his former master. A loud thud was heard and the guard's cranium collided with the floor. Both Jedi emerged from their confines and ran down the corridor. They stopped at the armory and retrieved their weapons. Those fools actually thought they could wield such an elegant weapon. A scaly Trandoshan approached Anakin and Obi wan with twin vibroaxes. He feinted to the right and then the left before flipping over him. He smirked slightly as he plunged his blade into his foe's back.

"Anakin," Obi wan chided. "A Jedi doesn't take pleasure in their kills."

"Come on Master." Anakin joked, letting his eyes blink yellow. He just loved bothering Obi wan. " All's fair in love and war. Besides, you're just jealous I'm already ahead of you this early in the game."

Obi wan instantly became very flustered. He tried to sputter out a response a retort, but he simply threw his hands into the air in defeat.

Then, they headed over to the closest com. Opening the control panel, Anakin delicately rewired the station. He sent a message stating that the crew was needed to contain a malfunction in the engine room. Footsteps thundered on the levels above them and the Jedi were in the clear. The pair wove through various hallways never ceasing their footfall. As Anakin flew past room after room, a glaze of red caught his eye. Backtracking, he found his way into a cramped room contains one object. A glistening red ruby shimmered inside the room. It seemed to call to Anakin, urging him forward. Tentatively, Anakin took a step towards the jewel. He was enthralled by its luster and color. He had never seen a ruby so magnificent. It would be a perfect gift for Padmé.

"Anakin, what are you doing?" scolded Obi wan.

Anakin froze, he found himself inches away from the gem. Moments ago, he swore he was on the opposite end of the room. Something about this gem was strange, but it didn't matter to Anakin. It seemed to beckon Anakin forward in a foreign, harsh tongue. Turning away from Obi wan, he stared into the ruby's center.

"Anakin, we must leave. Your diversion won't last forever." He could already hear some of the pirates returning to their posts. Ignoring his protests, Anakin extended his hands towards the ruby.

"Now, Anakin let's not do anything rash."said Obi wan as Anakin snatched the gem from its pedestal. Sirens projected a shrill cry, a ray shield obstructing the doorway of the room. Obi wan and Anakin were trapped once again. Obi wan could be seen pinching the bridge of his nose muttering softly, while Anakin let his foolhardiness soak in. That language was the Sith language, wasn't it. This gem was a Sith item, wasn't it. How would he get them out of this?

 **Okay, so for those of you who are like," Wait I thought they purged Anakin of the Dark Side." I'm working on that. I'll probably do some rewrites and I'll tell you guys when I've finished with that. I know right nw the continuity is a little weird, but I really want to play some more with the darker side of Anakin. Don't worry this story is going to have a happy ending. Or is it? Naw, I'm just joking with you, it'll have a happy ending. I'm a sucker for happy endings.-Kiera (again)**


	19. Chapter 19

**9/24/16 So far I've updated chapter 8 and 9. I'll probably do some more. Also, I would love it if people could suggest a couple writing prompt so I can write some one shots. As always please R and R.-Kiera**

 **CHAPTER 19**

This was it. The entire climax of Padmé's mission. The final segment of the Death Star plans were being uploaded into the datadisk. Her time on Medean would finally be over. In just five minutes, she will have achieved her mission goal and helped the Rebellion tremendously. This moment will be the turning point of the war. Finally, the Alliance to Restore the Republic will have an edge on the Empire. Still, she couldn't shake the sensation that something was about to go terribly wrong. Padmé's head was throbbing and her heart was racing. It was probably nerves, that or she had contracted some sort of sickness.

Mistia had already succumbed to the flu, which was why she had to stay home. It was just Padmé and Lani this time. Padmé missed her third comrade dearly, she hoped she would recover quickly. The datadisk had finished uploading the schematic, Lani pocketed it and gave Padmé a thumbs up. The girls smiled at each other, their work would save the Galaxy from tyranny. They stepped out of the holodisk library and were immediately overwhelmed by a battalion of troopers. Padmé was handcuffed and brought to the glossy boots of a smug Lieutenant Jenkins.

"Hello girls. It seems you have something of the Empire's." A stormtrooper handed him the datachip. He tossed it in the air casually. "Rest assured I will be taking great care of this."

Lani spat on his pristine boots. His face contorted into a look of disgust, and his mood darkened.

"Listen here you little whore. I will not tolerate scum like you sabotaging my station. Abominations like you should be grateful to even breath the same air as humans. You're lucky to be here instead of on some backwater planet as a slave."

Lani cried out as his slap stung her cheek. Jenkins had hit her with such force that a humongous plum colored bruise was already forming on her face. The very sight of her amiable friend lying wounded on the floor summoned fire into Padme's eyes with fire.

"Leave her alone, asshole." Padmé shouted. "If you want someone to torment, choose me."

Jenkins simply smirked at her. "Well if you insist."

He backhanded her, bruising her face. Another punch gave her a black eye. A second slap split her lip, leaving her spitting blood. Jenkins gestured to the soldiers next to him. "Take them to the detention center."

Padmé glared at him, he would not have the satisfaction of seeing her in pain.

"One last thing dears. You can thank Officer Colchis for your incarceration. She was very eager to give me all the details to your plan."

Ice seeped into her heart. She tried to rationalize, he was probably just taunting her. Yet, the cynic in her said it all added up. Mistia knew the access codes, she was always doing something before they left, and she happened to miss the one mission they were apprehended on. Once she was dragged away from Lieutenant Jenkin's, tears slid down her cheek. The rest was a blur. She remembered being thrown into a cell roughly. Then, she felt sobs rack her body. These two weeks had been some of the happiest in a long while. Excluding the espionage, it felt like they were just three friends living together. No fighting. No debates. No running from place to place. Padmé almost felt like she was relatively normal. But alas, it was all an illusion, a front to expose her.

She began to doubt that Mistia ever cared for her in the first place. What if her entire personality was a façade. No, she must stop jumping to conclusions. Over the course of the mission, they had all bonded. No one could fake that. Perhaps, in her own way, Mistia still cared about them. What if she believed that she was helping them. Padmé always believed in equality and that meant upholding the idea that everyone was innocent until proven guilty. Sure, Mistia may have betrayed them, but there was no solid proof that she did it in a malicious way. If she ever received the chance, Padmé would confront her.

Then a second set of glaring fluorescent lights flickered on. She knew that this was a psychological technique to confuse her brain and disorient her. Padmé refused to let herself fall prey to their schemes. Mustering all the steel inside of her, she began to calculate all possible escape plans and their probability of being a success. Throughout the night, she paced and compiled a list of escape ideas. She made sure to include all outside factors, such as the arrival of Anakin or Ahsoka. The only situation she could find no solution to is the arrival of the Emperor. He was too powerful and influential to be stopped singlehandedly. If the Emperor was to be destroyed, then it had to be a team effort. Silently, she muttered prayers to the Force and the goddesses of Naboo that she would be granted some luck. Padmé could handle anything except for the Emperor.

Sometime during her furious planning, she succumbed to exhaustion. When she had awoken she found herself in a stark white room. White handcuffs. White clothes. White lights. Everything was white. She was given food by a stormtrooper clad entirely in white. White tray. White fork. White spoon. White napkin. Even the food was a titanium white. As the days progressed Padmé began to forget the other colors. There was blue and yellow and red and ... and. That's where the list ended. Soon it would be reduced to white. Whenever she tried to come up with some semblance of a plan, she would be drawn back into the abyss of white. Her complexion began to pale. Without a mirror, Padmé began to fear that she was turning white. Her mind melted into a blank box of white. She tried to remember what she looked like before this. An image of a woman with white hair, white eyes, mouth, skin, clothes, teeth, nails would fill her scarred mind. Days and days of white, just white. The stormtroopers would find her muttering. White. White. White. She stopped eating becoming gaunt and needle thin. Padmé's tough visage was teetering over the edge. Her consciousness and humanity slipping. Most people believed hell was a fiery red pit. For Padmé it was a blank white room.

Then one day, when Padmé was ready to give up the last part of her sanity a word rose unbidden from her throat. Anakin. Squeezing her eyes and clutching her head she tried to match that word to something. Anything. A tall man with a cocky grin and a long scar was kissing a short brunette with a beauty mark on her right cheek. Her. She was that woman. She was Padmé Amidala Naberrie Skywalker. She was a Rebel. She was on a mission to steal plans for the Death Star. Her friend betrayed her and now she was here. They almost broke her, but Padmé would hang on. She would persevere because she had a mission. A mission she would complete. That she had to complete for Anakin, Obi wan, Ahsoka, Lani, Mistia, and her precious, beautiful babies. An observer would notice a straightening of Amidala's posture, a fire returned to her eyes, and an observer did. From a secret observation room, Emperor Palpatine cursed Senator Amidala's resolve. He would have to find another way to break her, and her husband.


	20. Chapter 20

**_So you know how I said I wouldn't publish for a couple weeks. Well, I lied. There'll probably be a two week period between this chapter and the next, but that's it. Thank you so much for you reviews. Also, since I can't control myself I slipped in an A:TLA quote in. I know, I know. I have a problem. -Kiera_**

 **Chapter 20**

Anakin was done with life at this point. After their embarrassing escape attempt, he and Obi wan had been placed in opposite ends of the ship. Anakin had been bound in rusted shackles and sedated with a force inhibiting drug. And to top it all off, tomorrow evening marked the date he would be cooked into a pie. You just had to pick up the shiny, glowing egg, didn't you, he thought to himself. Leave it to him to find the only Sith artifact in the entire ship.

"Wakey, wakey little one," said a grubby looking pirate. She towered over him at 10 feet tall with gnarled, yellow teeth and matted, scraggly hair. She was clothed in some sort of tattered shirt and worn, patched up pants. She wore old boots with her big toe peeking out of one. She stomped over to him, grinning a rotten smile. The closer she stepped, the stronger the putrid stink she exuded got. One grimy, fat hand reached out to clutch his chin. With one thumb, she caressed his cheek. "The captain's gonna like you. You've got a lot of meat on ya."

Her other hand squeezed his bicep like a vice. "Maybe a little tougher, but waste not want not." Both hands moved to cup his face in a perverted gesture of affection. "Though I'd hate to see your handsome little face eaten."

Anakin bared his teeth like a caged predator. He called on the Dark and it swelled around him. His eyes swirled into a deep sunset, and he growled, for added effect. In the back of his mind, he could recall the faint memory of Obi wan scolding him for being a "drama queen". Unfortunately as soon as the Dark came, the inhibitor cuffs kicked in and he felt the strands of Dark slip from his grasp.

The pirate just smirked at turned away from him. As she activated the ray shield once more she said, "You've got a temper to ya. Good. The angry ones always have a little more spice to them." She laughed a snorting, ugly laugh and strolled off.

There was no way he was going to be eaten by that. He was Anakin Skywalker, The Chosen One, fated to bring balance to the Force. He wasn't going to end up some filthy brigand's entree. He had to think of something. People were counting on him, good people. He had his children to think of. He had his wife to think of.

He strained against his cuffs. They were anchored to the floor and provided him with little mobility. Obviously, the corsairs had not seen the world outside the Outer Rim in quite some time because his cuffs were antiquated with actual locks on them. The rust on them dug into his flesh arm, leaving it raw. His human wrist was peeling and scabbed. Rivulets of dried blood ran down his arm.

Anakin was beginning to become frustrated. He didn't have the slightest idea on how to escape. He racked his brain for any information relevant. Any advice, or past plan he could conjure from the deep recesses of his mind, but he drew a blank. He had no Force, no Obi wan, and no backup. He refused to relent though. He would never give up. After everything he had been through, there was no way in hell he would give up. He thrashed against his chains in vexation.

There was a metallic clang as one of the gears in his mechanical arm went out of alignment. Sighing, he reached over to repair it. The bonds allowed him just enough maneuverability to touch both hands together. After he had restored the component to its proper place, his hand ghosted over a long, slender part of the arm. It was a thin rod located at the center of where his forearm would have been. Maybe, he thought, he could use it as a lock pick. Anakin estimated that the piece was an almost perfect fit to the locks. Removing this shaft would render his arm immobile, but he could cross that bridge when he got to it. He jerked the rod loose, and his hand immediately last all of its dexterity. He crouched over his limp hand, and began to pick the lock.

After five minutes, the lock broke and the cuff fell from his hand. His arm fell to his side, useless. To break the shackle on his other hand, Anakin had to put the lockpick between his teeth. Twenty minutes passed until he finally managed to unlock his left hand. It would take more advanced tools to mend his droid arm, so he tucked it between the folds of his tunic like a sling. He limped over to the ray shielded door, legs tingling from loss of feeling. Adeptly, Anakin rewired the door and stepped into the hallway.

The guard from before spotted him. She barreled towards him, brandishing a vibroaxe and bellowing. As she swung at him, he sidestepped her. He elbowed her in the back of her skull, giving her a concussion. He ran in the direction of the armory. When he reached the door, three more adversaries came at him. The first tried to punch, but Anakin ducked down and swept his legs out from under him. He crashed to the floor. The second attempted to tackle him. Anakin used his momentum to swing him over his shoulder. He threw him to the ground with his good arm. The third caught him by surprise. His fist collided with Anakin's forehead and disoriented him. He stumbled, and his opponent rushed at him. Pressing his back against the wall, his legs came up and kicked his enemy directly in the solar plexus. He crashed into the other wall.

Anakin looked at the three pirates lying defeated on the floor. He scoffed, wiping the sweat collecting on his brow. It had been a long time since he had to rely purely on hand to hand combat. He was exhausted. He could feel a bruise forming on his forehead, and the wounds on his wrist had reopened. Unfortunately, there was no time to rest. He had to save Obi wan and return to the Rebel Alliance. He rolled his neck as he entered the weapons room. This was going to be a fun.

 ** _Next chapter will probably be a continuation of this arc. Especially since I have no idea what to do for Ahsoka's story. I'm thinking about 5 more chapters until this story is done. Thanks for sticking with me. Please review!- Kiera_**


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